East vs. West: Why East Asian Cultures Fought Covid-19 Better Than Western Cultures
How East Asian Culture Contributed To East Asia’s Better Defense Of COVID-19 — A Hypothesis
My hypothesis is as follows: East Asian countries are handling the coronavirus epidemic better than Western nations for the following reasons:
- A History of Disasters Makes Them Hyper-Sensitive to Disasters
- Large And Dense Population Centers Make Them Hyper-Sensitive to Disasters
- A Cultural Disposition Towards Cleanliness
- An Already Existing Culture of Social Distancing
- Confucian-Based Social Structure
- Shame Based Societal Structure
Many of you have already seen the charts. Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and possibly even China (the numbers out of China may be suspect) have had much lower rates of infection and deaths than Western Nations due to the coronavirus pandemic. I include Western Europe (Italy, France, United Kingdom and more), the U.S., Australia, Canada, etc. as “Western Nations.” “Western Nations” is a cultural distinction, not a geographic one. I would also note that a majority of Singapore’s population are demographically Chinese. Which I argue makes them culturally similar to East Asia, even though it is not located, more precisely, in South Asia.
In this article I attempt to give some hypothetical reasons as to why these two culturally different populations have had such different experiences with COVID-19. I also focus primarily on the East Asian countries’ culture, history and politics. This is because my article is intended for a Western Audience that may be unfamiliar with the culture, history and societies of East Asia.
These hypothetical “reasons” are not in any order of importance. Also, be forewarned, this is NOT a scientific analysis of the issue. I ask specifically that you DO NOT RELY on this article for medical advice or advice of any kind. Instead, use it to give you a little bit of context as to why different countries may be seeing different results concerning the coronavirus pandemic. I also want to encourage questions, thought and introspection. I always defer to the experts. Listen to them and trust them first.
One Useful Baseline Assumption
In order for my hypothesis to truly hold weight, it may be useful to make one assumption. That assumption is that Japan is, in some ways, the leader of the pack in East Asia. I argue that Japanese culture rubs off on the rest of East Asia. This is not a difficult leap to make. First, it is worth noting that Japan was the first East Asian Country to rapidly industrialize, starting in the late 1800’s with the Meiji Restoration. Japan then became a military and imperial power, but those ventures ended in destruction and ruin for Japan in World War II.
In the decades following World War II, Japan rapidly re-industrialized, and spread its’ culture and habits not only throughout East Asia, but around the world. Toyota motor vehicles, anime and sushi, products of Japan, are now cultural and economic staples worldwide. So, my supposition rests, at least partly, on the assumption that Japan’s closest neighbors, South Korea, Taiwan, and other Pacific rim nations, tend to follow the Japanese lead, both culturally and economically. And if you don’t like this explanation, we can simply start with the easier leap, and that is that these countries are all culturally similar due to their long and shared history. Which I believe is also true and which can also co-exist with my assumption of Japan as the leader. So, with these assumptions in mind, let’s dig in.
1. A History of Disasters Makes East Asian Nations (Mainly Japan) Hyper-Sensitive to Disasters
World War II is a good place to start, but not a good place to end. In World War II the Japanese Islands were devasted by the war. Not only did the Japanese suffer the death of millions of people in direct combat with Allied Forces. But the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on strategic Japanese population centers. No other country in the world has experienced this particular type of trauma. Regardless, the Japanese rebounded quickly from the war. But their flirtations with disaster were not over. The Kobe Earthquake of 1995 devastated a major Japanese city and the Tsunami of 2011 hit the Japanese coast and caused the loss of over 15,000 Japanese lives. Not to mention the subsequent nuclear disaster Japan had to deal with at the Fukushima Daiichi reactor. The Japanese have been through a lot. But no country has experienced nuclear fallout quite like the Japanese. And nuclear fallout is similar to something like the coronavirus, as it is an invisible and silent killer.
Furthermore, in 1995 a religious extremist group released the toxic chemical sarin onto Tokyo metro railway cars. This attack killed 13 people and injured many more. This is the deadliest chemical attack of its kind that has occurred in Japan. Finally, the Japanese islands are just a stone’s throw away from North Korea. A persistent and existential threat that Japan has had to face for the past 60+ years.
I argue that Japan’s experiences dealing with disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear fallout, has made the Japanese people hyper-sensitive to disaster awareness. And in turn, the country’s political system is hyper-vigilant to threats like pandemics. This may explain, at least partially, why Japanese society takes protection from infectious diseases so seriously. And thus, why masks and personal protective devices in Japan are normalized. Many Japanese families keep face masks in their cabinets at all times. Right next to band-aids, q-tips or toothpaste. This has been the norm for at least a decade prior to COVID-19.
And like I stated above, if you don’t buy Japan as rubbing off on other nations, that is fine. South Korea lives every day with the threat of North Korea staring them in the face. And the Chinese have experienced numerous upheavals over the last 100 years: WWII, Civil War, Local Wars, Communism, The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. I argue that these wounds, and therefore the reality of such threats, are more recent than many of those experienced in Western Nations. Thus, these countries take the threat of a pandemic very seriously. Whereas Western Nations viewed it as a more remote possibility.
2) Large And Dense Population Centers Make East Asian Nations Hyper-Sensitive to Disasters
By most accounts, Tokyo is the largest city in the world, with a population of over 13.5 million. This is a stunning number. But perhaps more stunning, is that out of the ten most populous cities in the world, five of them are in East Asia. We are counting Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, all in China, and Seoul, South Korea. East Asia is an incredibly large population center for human beings on this Earth. And when populations are that large, and that dense, any sort of bacteria, virus or highly infectious disease could be devastating. Additionally, these populations are generally packed into small spaces.
I lived in Tokyo for several months in a hotel of sorts. My apartment was a small efficiency. On a citywide scale for these large East Asian cities, we are talking millions and millions of people packed into small areas. If a virus like the coronavirus really got loose in Japan, it could be devastating. We all saw China’s hyper-martial reaction to the corona virus. Locking people in their homes, etc. The virus could spread very easily in these packed cities of East Asia. I argue that the Japanese, South Koreans and even the Chinese, are hyper-aware of such a threat to their densely packed cities. Thus, they took preparation seriously for infectious disease threats. They also acted quickly and decisively. Unlike Western Nations, which appeared to be taken off-guard by the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
3) A Cultural Disposition Towards Cleanliness
“Cleanliness is Next to Godliness.” This is a common phrase in the United States. I am not arguing that Western Countries do not take cleanliness seriously. Most nations, Western or not, care about cleanliness. But I am arguing that the Japanese take cleanliness very seriously. The word “kirei” in Japanese means both “clean” and “beautiful.” That is a start. The roots are deeper. The native religion of the Japanese islands is Shinto. In Shinto, awe of nature, cleanliness and purity are strong principles promoted by the religion. These principles then express themselves in rituals and in everyday life. Purification through water is an important aspect of Shinto. It is also nothing to see a Shinto monk sweeping the steps of his temple on a regular basis. When I lived in Tokyo, I saw this often. These ideas have been passed down through the generations and have been imbued into everyday Japanese life. For example, in Japanese schools the children clean the classroom after a day of class. They do not hire cleaning staffs at many schools in Japan. The children do everything. Also, as you probably already know, it is customary for people to take off their shoes before entering a Japanese household. This is a cleanliness ritual, meant to prevent dirty shoes from walking on clean interior floors. And, don’t take it from me, Japan’s reputation for cleanliness is worldwide. Just look at the stunning success of Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” You could argue that Marie Kondo, a Japanese citizen, just took some of the cleanliness practcies of Japan and distilled it into a book. A book that became a worldwide bestseller.
All of this translates into a culture where anti-viral measures such as hand-washing, scrubbing surfaces and using sanitizer are already religiously followed. Thus, the Japanese are always practicing anti-viral cleaning methods. Even when there is no global pandemic. It is practically a part of their religion. It is worth noting that Buddhism also takes cleanliness very seriously. Buddhism is the dominant shared religion in East Asia and it is present in Japan. The Japanese religious system is considered syncretic, most Japanese practice both Buddhism and aspects of Shinto.
4) An Already Existing Culture of Social Distancing in East Asian Nations
This theory is easily applied to all East Asian nations. First, in East Asian countries, handshakes are not the norm. In fact, the Japanese and other East Asians do not do it at all. Unless of course they are doing business with a Westerner. In Japan, between Japanese, a bow is the equivalent of a handshake. However, significantly, a bow does not include touching. But it does not end with bowing. Public displays of affection (PDA) in Japan are exceedingly rare. It is considered taboo to hug too much, hold hands or make-out and kiss in public. The PDA taboo has probably been relaxed a bit in recent years. But not by much. Making out in public in Japan is very rare. And we all know, that Western Nations are open to a degree of PDA. Westerners shake hands, hold hands and kiss in public with very little abandon. Just think about Italy. Touching and kissing are a part of interactions on a daily basis. PDA is less active in Northern Europe and America. But it is still much more common in those countries than in Japan and East Asia. A last, but powerful example, when exchanging cash in Japan, you do not hand the money directly to the other person. This may actually have its’ roots in a taboo related to the uncleanliness of money itself. But it fits into the overall practice of not touching other people. When you buy something at a store, pay for a taxi, or exchange cash in a hotel, you place the money into a tray. The cashier or clerk then picks the money up out of the tray and puts your change directly back into the tray. No touching of hands or skin. These examples are just a few, there are many more, that show the Japanese tendency against close human contact in public. Again, East Asian countries were social distancing for a pandemic, even before the pandemic hit.
5) Confucian Social Structure
Another hypothetical reason for the strong East Asian response to coronavirus involves the Confucian social structure of East Asian nations. No need to buy the Japanese “leader” hypothesis here. China, South Korea, Japan, and many other East Asian nations, have all been significantly influenced by Confucianism. I would also note that Confucianism is a Chinese-borne ideology. The Chinese get any credit given here.
Confucianism is a system of thought and behavior that began with Confucius in China in the 6th Century B.C. It is still alive and strong in East Asia today. There are many aspects of Confucianism. Most relevant for this article is the concept of filial piety and Confucianism’s influence on relationships. Filial piety is the virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors. In turn, this also translates to a respect for authority figures and government officials. In regard to relationships, Confucianism stresses that each person has a role to play, at different stages of their life. Early in life, you play the good daughter. Later in life, you play the good Mother. A good life is lived by knowing your role and playing it well. Finally, this concept also includes the idea that those in positions of power should act with benevolence towards the people. The idea is that these reciprocal actions will create a harmonious society. We can disagree on if it does. Personally, I think Confucianism has many, many benefits. Regardless, I argue that one effect is that the populace of Confucian countries have a tendency to act with unity and a high level of compliance whenever the government (authority figures) gives them instructions. I understand that this is controversial. This is not scientific. But I do argue that Confucianism is a structured and hierarchical social system where authority figures are given a high degree of respect and deference. Thus, the average citizen will comply with government mandates to a high degree. In return, the government is expected to do the right thing. I argue that in regard to a pandemic, East Asian governments are able to issue social distancing guidelines, testing regimes and other directives that are then complied with by the populace to a high degree. This helps a country rapidly fight the effects of the coronavirus. Whereas, in Western Nations, the degree of non-compliance with government directives may be higher and may thus lead to a greater number of infections.
6) Shame Based Society
In 1946 an American anthropologist, Ruth Benedict, published The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. In this book she argued that Japanese culture was a “shame-based culture” whereas Western cultures were primarily “guilt-based.” Other anthropologists have applied this mode of analysis to Eastern and Western Nations as well. In guilt-based societies, the feeling of guilt is reinforced in people and the threat of punishment (now or in the afterlife) is used to create this effect. Thus, people carry guilt with them and are expected to behave, in the manner that society imposes, through fear of guilt. In shame-based societies, shame is fostered in individuals, and thus they fear social exclusion or being embarrassed in front of the group. Thus, shame is the mode through which society imposes order.
Some argue these different models produce different results. If this thesis were accepted, it may help explain Japan, and the behavior of other East Asian societies. In East Asian nations, it could be viewed as shameful, or dishonorable, to not conform to social edicts. For instance, if everyone else is wearing a mask, it would bring great shame to NOT wear mask. Thus, shame-based societies appear to be particularly adept at creating compliance and uniformity amongst the populace. This would be helpful in explaining East Asian citizens being willing to comply with social distancing edicts. Nobody wants to be the odd man out. A famous saying in Japan is “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” Such social reinforcement is particularly useful in times of crisis. Whereas in the guilt-based Western Civilization, society tends to be more individualistic. Control is established through the cultivation of guilt and a personal moral code. Thus, there will be more individual variance in compliance with government directives. And if there is more variance, there could very well be less overall compliance. These are very controversial ideas. But if accepted as true, these ideas could be explanatory in seeing why COVID-19 has caused more deaths in Western Nations than in East Asian ones. In East Asian nations, again, a higher percentage of the populace may be compliant with government edicts involving anti-viral directives.
Conclusion
I understand that South Korea’s handling of the virus, which has been admirable, is being attributed to their strict testing regime and tracking of potential exposed individuals. I have no reason to doubt that this is the case. However, even that program, I argue, is more effective because of the reasons that I highlighted above. East Asian nations have certain cultural attributes that make them particularly adept at fighting a unique threat such as COVID-19. This is not a scientific paper. It is theoretical and it is a hypothesis. But I do think it adds context to the many reasons being touted for East Asian success against COVID-19. Also, keep in mind, that Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea have all, so far, contained COVID-19 very effectively. Thus, my reasons help explain the outcomes as a whole. Whereas, South Korea’s testing regime may help to explain South Korea’s results. But Japan, Taiwan and Singapore have also fought the virus effectively. What explains all three countries having such a great defense? I believe my reasons above add context and have some explanatory value for answering the questions of why that cluster of nations has fought COVID-19 effectively. I argue the culture and history of those nations, as outlined above, made them uniquely equipped to battle a viral outbreak. And the rest of the world may be able to learn a lot by studying the reactions of these countries. Please remember, this is not scientific paper. Do not rely on this paper for medical advice to any degree whatsoever.